Speaking to IQNA on the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Reza (AS), which falls on Sunday, August 24, this year, Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Ahmad Emamifar said it is interesting that these debates, which took place more than 1,200 years ago, are still relevant in terms of content, debate technique, enlightenment, and educational value.
He noted that Imam Reza (AS) attained the Imamate at the age of 35 after the martyrdom of Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (AS).
Ten years of his Imamate were during the caliphate of Harun al-Rashid, five years during the caliphate of Amin, and the final five years of his life were during the caliphate of Ma’mun, he noted.
Referring to Imam Reza’s (AS) debates, he said Ma’mun was a scholarly person, therefore, scientific debates and discussions flourished during his time, and history even narrates that Ma’mun once corresponded with the Roman commander and asked him to send a number of philosophical books to Tus (now Mashhad), and the Roman commander did so, and at another stage, Ma’mun sent a number of the great men and scholars of his time to Rome to learn the philosophical and popular sciences of the time.
The seminary professor added that the debates were founded by Ma’mun himself and were held in his presence.
“It is important to note that since most of Ma’mun’s political figures and armies were Iranians and the Iranians were interested in the school of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS), Ma’mun had no choice but to defend the school of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) in order to keep them on his side. He sometimes personally debated with the opponents.”
Regarding the reason for organizing these debates, Hojat-ol-Islam Emamifar stated, “These debates were held between the Imam and the elders of various schools and religions… One of the reasons why Ma’mun held these gatherings was to humiliate the Imam (AS). Ma’mun wanted to humiliate the Imam in the eyes of the people, especially the Iranians, and to make people think that the Imam was only familiar with simple matters of the Quran and Hadith and was deprived of the techniques of science, reasoning, philosophy, etc. Another reason was that Ma’mun wanted to use this to divert public opinion from the main issues of society and the weaknesses of his government.”
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The seminary scholar went on to say that Imam Reza (AS) debated with the elders of other religions based on his knowledge of the books of other religions and emerged victorious in these debates.
Whenever the Imam’s (AS) opponents were defeated, they would enter through the door of sophistry, he noted.
Hassan ibn Sahl al-Nawfali once told the Imam (AS) that they resorted to sophistry, and Imam Reza (AS) said he will defeat them through the method they themselves follow, Hojat-ol-Islam Emamifar added.
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